Blaze
by katreblack
Summary: After the declaration of the Naturals Election, three of Honnouji Academy's honorable Elite Four relax and have some fun with fire. Elite Four friendship, expanded. Rated for drug use and language.
1. Introduction

Hi everyone, I've come back to give you something silly and useless. Reviews and constructive criticism are greatly appreciated, help a girl out!

**NOTE** as of 6/14: While writing this I assumed that it wouldn't get much attention or feedback at all, so I was a bit surprised to receive negative feedback. I was also a bit disappointed when this negative feedback was aimed at the theme of recreational drug use and peer pressure, instead of my writing style or, perhaps, a relative lack of character development. Naturally, this piece reflects my own views on marijuana and how it should be consumed. This is a very touchy subject for many but I'm not down to argue what your personal philosophy on drugs is. However, I would like to point out that I don't have these characters smoking meth or crack. They're not shooting heroin. I'm not writing about them hurting themselves or each other. The way I look at weed is that it's for when you're just trying to relax and chill with your friends and maybe get a little silly. You may think differently, but this is a debate that I am unwilling to have with any of you. Not here, at least. I am not telling you to go out and smoke thirty blunts. It's fanfiction. Calm down.

In this story, I attempted to keep the mood lighthearted and silly. That is how I envisioned the relationship between the Elite Four. They tease each other, they fight and they bicker and they argue, but they are still comrades. I tried exploring how that camaraderie might've run deeper, into friendship. Clearly some of you do not agree with smoking for the fun of it, and I guess that's too bad, because that's what this story is about. Smoking with friends. Sorry 'bout it.

That being said, edits have been made for the sake of character development. Please review! I've put a lot of effort into this and I would appreciate your feedback-but please, let your criticisms be constructive.

**Pairings**: implied Uzu/Ryuko

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Kill la Kill, and I'm definitely not getting paid for this.

**Blaze**

"Wait, so you've really never smoked before?!" the incredulity in Sanageyama's voice was astounding. He seemed scandalized. The spots where his eyes should be, indicated by the white of his blindfold, widened comically.

Three-fourths of Honnouji Academy's Elite Four were assembled in his living room. He was joined by Inumuta and Jakuzure, who were both comfortably seated on his luxurious sofa. Gamagoori had politely declined the offer to hang out, citing his need to go out and practice driving. The hulking blond had only just gotten his license, and he was determined to become a skilled-enough driver to meet his Lady Satsuki's chauffer needs.

Satsuki had just announced the start of the Naturals Election, a grueling seven day battle royale, whose top prize was the chance to compete against the school's finest fighters, and finally, the attainment of a more powerful Goku uniform. One-star and two-star students saw it as a chance to take each other out, and possibly challenge the Elite Four. No-star students saw it as a chance at stars in general, and most importantly, a ticket out of the slums of Honnou Town.

The Elites were rather bored by it all. They all knew that they'd be the ones to come out on top in the end. Only the thought of challenging Ryuko Matoi excited them. Sanageyama wanted a rematch more than anything else in the world, eager to face her once again. Inumuta wanted to collect more data on the capabilities of Kamui Senketsu, while Jakuzure just wanted to beat the smug little bitch's face in.

But there were seven days standing in between them and the King of the Hill battle. Sanageyama decided that they should all just relax for a bit, and invited everyone over to his place before they all started to prepare for the fights against Matoi. While they were all friends, the Elite Four never really hung out outside of the Student Council meeting room. The four teens were all booked solid, all the time, occupied with managing Honnouji Academy's day-to-day activities, and maintaning peak physical condition. Their purpose was to fight, after all. Lady Satsuki was a demanding mistress, but the Elite Four were more than happy to comply with her needs, and with those of the Academy.

Time to rest was hard to come by. They rarely hung out, and so when the opportunities to get together after school did arise, a lot of time was spent figuring out what to do for fun. What was there to do for fun? Spar? Sit around? What the hell did regular teens do with themselves? Normally, they'd opt for the sparring, but since they were attempting to conserve their energies for Matoi, the trio decided against any rigorous physical activity. While sitting in Sanageyama's quaint living room, the three found themselves in a veritable quandary, the kind that everyone faces when they're bored and without ideas.

"So, what do you guys want to do?" Sanageyama asked his guests.

"I don't know, whatever, I guess," Inumuta and Jakuzure would answer.

Inumuta suggested they watch a movie, or play some video games. Jakuzure wanted to listen to classical music together, and discuss it over some hot chocolate.

Of course, having once been a delinquent and a gang leader, Sanageyama had a slightly different idea of what should be done with their precious downtime. The northern Kanto monkey made a suggestion that Jakuzure felt a bit uncomfortable with. He was taken aback upon learning that neither of his companions had ever partaken in this activity, and his amazement was met with two very different reactions.

"Of course I've never smoked weed before! I'm a lady, you dumb wild monkey. That's for street trash," Nonon sneered at him. "I'm classy, in case you didn't notice."

Inumuta's reaction was, predictably, much more subdued. He moved to push his blue-tinted glasses back up the bridge of his nose, and opened his mouth to speak. "No, I've never tried it before. My curiosity was never piqued. However, it would be cool to collect some data on it, I guess". Inumuta figured that trying it once wouldn't hurt. Besides, he was with Sanageyama, who appeared to be much more experienced in this than anyone else he knew. Plus, he didn't know when the next time they would get to relax would be, or if they would ever get to relax again. Ryuko Matoi's appearance had really shaken things up at Honnouji Academy. Lady Satsuki's plans were beginning to come into fruition, and Inumuta knew it would not be long before Ragyo Kiryuin set her own plans in motion. Perhaps there would be no other opportunity. He supposed that if he was going to try smoking cannabis, he might as well do it now.

"Awww shit, doggie wants to blaze! Alright, let's go for it Houka, we don't need Jakuzure over here spoiling our fun," Uzu exclaimed, rather excitedly. It had been a while since he'd smoked with anyone—everyone he used to burn with was back up in northern Kanto. While he had been rather young when he first tried smoking weed, it could only be expected that the leader of a gang of hooligans would get himself into all kinds of trouble, including drug-related shenanigans. Hey, he didn't wear a shirt that said "bad boy" for nothing.

Since coming to Lady Satsuki's side, Uzu's marijuana use had lessened considerably. However, he did find that it helped him unwind, and took to smoking on his own when he needed stress relief and wasn't in the mood to spar with one of the Elite Four, or beat the shit out of one of his adoring athletic club members. Well, they called that sparring too, but all his underlings were hopelessly outclassed and outmatched. A for effort, though. No one could possibly offer him the sort of sparring that he needed to blow off steam, except for the other Elites. And Matoi, of course. But he knew that Ryuko Matoi would never be down for a friendly match, not after he had defeated her so utterly. His contemplation was cut short by Inumuta's confirmation.

"Yeah, I guess I'll try it, if only for the sake of data collection," Houka shrugged. Honestly, he just wanted to see what the big deal was about.

"What? Doggie, what are you thinking? Don't let this hick monkey be a bad influence on you!" Nonon snapped. She was losing control over the situation quickly and she did not enjoy the idea of being the odd one out. Nonon Jakuzure was not a fan of marijuana. While it was true that she had never tried it, she figured that she didn't need to try something to dislike it. She hated the smell of it. Weed smelled awful and she sure as hell didn't want it on her, or in her pretty, pristine lungs. Also, she was afraid that Satsuki would disapprove.

"Don't be a killjoy, you dumb snake, let us live," Uzu rose from his seat on a comfy armchair to fetch his beloved supplies. "Houka, we're about to get high as fuck!" he grinned widely, ready to spark up and show Inumuta how awesome burning could be.

Uzu exited the living room and headed toward his bedroom. Despite his blindness, the power of his Shingantsu allowed him to navigate his luxurious living quarters with no problem. His house was not opulent, but it was comfortable. While it was situated in the mansion district, the quaint little home held only one bedroom, and the bare essentials, and some other small comforts and luxuries. He made sure to add a small gym and a backyard, just to give himself space. Uzu had furnished the home lovingly, but he chose not to be excessive. Most of his monthly Honnouji Academy-provided stipend went to providing food and shelter for the Northern Kanto Gang Alliance. As the Alliance's former leader and representative, Uzu felt a special responsibility for the friends he left behind. He had no qualms with forgoing an opulent mansion for a small house if it meant being able to take care of his own.

He walked barefoot, his footsteps making no noise on the plush carpeting. He went to his large dresser, digging around in the second drawer that held his underwear, until he found the plastic container holding his supplies. It held a small glass pipe, and several baggies full of bud. He figured he would only need to use about a dime tonight. His old gang had given him free weed on his last visit to Northern Kanto. He smiled fondly.

"Man, those guys are the shit. I miss them," he sighed, reminiscing about his more carefree days with his old friends.

It was at that moment that Uzu remembered that Shingantsu elevated his senses to impossible heights. He was suddenly afraid that getting high would not be as pleasant of an experience as it was when he had his eyesight. Maybe his new gifts would make the process of taking in the smoke horrifyingly painful. His tactile senses had been improved, along with his olfactory, auditory, and taste senses. He was more sensitive to things like heat, pain, and pleasure. Uzu sighed, and mulled it over. Maybe nothing would change at all if he just focused on something else besides the inevitable pain.

"….I mean, fuck it, right?" he shrugged. He figured that if he could just get through the actual smoke inhalation, the high would serve to put him in a beautiful haze, and would most probably result in the relaxation of his superhuman sensory perceptions. He vaguely recalled the incredible sensations he had experienced with Shingantsu, especially during the second fight with Matoi. He was perceiving a completely different set of sensory stimuli in the second fight, as opposed to the first.

In the first, he relied far too much on his vision. It was his eventual undoing. But in the second, his new, godly powers of perception helped him visualize the world in a way he never thought possible. He visualized her in a completely new way. He could smell the faint, sweet fragrance of her sweat, feel the desperation in her voice and the ferocity in her attacks, and it was beautiful. Ryuko Matoi was so much more beautiful when he was taking her down in battle—

Wait. What?

Uzu stopped as he realized where his thoughts were leading him. Damn. He'd better hurry back to the living room and start blazing.

* * *

Nonon glowered at Houka in disbelief. How could he? She hated being left out and he had betrayed her. Now she was going to be the only one in the house not smoking and it was his entire fault. Damn that dog.

"Jakuzure, please stop looking at me with such passion in your eyes. Why don't you just try it instead of sitting over there and sulking?" he questioned as he typed away on his laptop, having pulled it out when Uzu left the room. "Who knows, you might even like it," Houka said, concealing a smirk with his cowl.

"Ugh. As if," she countered, crossing her arms across her chest and pouting.

"Suit yourself, you snake, that means there's more for us cool kids," Uzu called from the hallway as he entered the marble-floored living room. He smirked at her as he reclaimed his spot in his favorite armchair. It was super comfortable, it reclined, and it was in direct view of the giant flat screen television he had set up on the opposite wall.

"Yeah Jakuzure, we're the cool kids. Cooler than you, for sure," Houka taunted her. Nonon narrowed her cotton candy eyes at the boys, huffing angrily. Who the hell did they think they were?

"It's okay man, the little snake's too much of a prim princess to try burning anyway," Uzu joined Houka in his taunts.

That got her attention.

While she stewed in her indignation, Uzu quickly pulled out the bud from its baggies. He didn't remember to bring a grinder, so he broke it up by hand. Quickly, he packed the bowl of his pretty glass pipe, obviously anxious to start.

"I got that fire, man, this shit is intense. Loud as hell," he grinned, using terminology that Houka and Nonon did not understand in the slightest. This only served to infuriate Nonon further.

She was angry with them for choosing to do something she had protested against. Nonon did not budge for many people, except of course, for Satsuki. Sanageyama and Inumuta were her friends, despite the former's Northern Kanto crassness, and she wished that they had just chosen to listen to music with her. Now that the wild monkey had come back from his room with his tupperware, she knew that the two boys wouldn't back down if she tried to bully them.

Nonon bit her lip, and thought. Would trying it once really hurt her that much? She had grown up like every other privileged rich girl, which included being fed plenty of anti-drug rhetoric. She had come to accept this rhetoric as common knowledge. Polite society would not approve of this activity. She smirked a bit to herself, coming to a new conclusion.

Polite society also did not accept her becoming a fighter, but she didn't let that stop her. Nonon supposed that she would give this a try, if only for the sake of rejecting even more rules that she had grown up with. This small act of defiance would please her naturally rebellious and caustic spirit. She supposed Satsuki would approve of that, a small rebellion against the system that they both worked against.

She would prove to the dog and the monkey that she wasn't a delicate princess. Even if they were her friends, they were dumb if they really thought she would back down from a challenge. Plus, if it was lame, she would get to rub it in both their faces later.

"Alright, since you're both being such asses about this, let me try. I want to prove that this shit isn't as great as you say it is!" she snapped at Uzu, giving into peer pressure, if only out of spite.

"Haha, alright! First hit goes to the little lady with the huge stick up her ass! May you find some chill in this hit," Uzu said jokingly. He passed her the pipe, holding on to his red lighter. "Hold this end up to your lips, and put your finger over this hole. Don't take your finger off the hole until I tell you to. Now, when you're inhaling it, pretend you're inhaling as if you're about to hold your breath. Don't breathe in until I tell you to. Yeah, just pull. Inumuta, pay attention, you'll be doing it this way too," he instructed, suddenly taking on a very authoritative and wise air. He wanted to make sure that the two first-timers would have as pleasant of an experience as possible. They were his friends, after all.

While many don't get high during their first time smoking weed, Uzu knew that the fact that they were smoking from a pipe would highly increase the likelihood that Nonon and Houka would feel something. It'd be a different story if they had been smoking blunts. He was glad, too, because blunts smelled pretty strongly and he didn't want his whole living room smelling like weed for the rest of the night. His Shingantsu-enhanced olfactory senses would not be happy with that.

The green-haired swordsman held the pipe up to Nonon, and she took it, putting her lips to the end of it. The bowl, full of the verdant herb, intimidated her slightly. She felt like she was in over her head. What if she did it wrong? What if being high was scary?

Before she could continue dwelling on her doubts, Uzu lit the bowl up, moving the lighter in a circular fashion and holding it upside down over the bowl, so that the flame came in direct contact with the bud and burned as much as possible. She let go of the hole she was supposed to be covering with her finger. Nonon breathed in, feeling the smoke hit her lungs. She took her lips off the pipe, holding the smoke in her mouth for a few seconds, before exhaling a pretty plume of smoke.

She immediately broke out into a coughing fit. Uzu cackled, clearly amused, and went to get her some water.

"That was a pretty huge hit for your first time, Jakuzure, I'm surprised you're not dead," he joked, amusement evident in the white eye spots of his blindfold. "Alright Inumuta, while she's dying, come take your hit," he instructed.

Inumuta followed directions dutifully, taking mental notes of both his experience and Nonon's. The pink-haired girl served as an excellent model for how to handle the pipe. He was pleased with the data she provided. He took his hit, and also started hacking up a lung.

Uzu was having a ball, laughing so hard his sides hurt. "You guys are so cute! Man, I remember my first time…" he was reminiscing again, his voice taking on a wistful tone. Thoughts of Northern Kanto filled his mind's eye yet again. Uzu did miss his hooligan friends, but he also had his Honnouji friends. He supposed now that they smoked, they were chill enough.

He decided it was his turn to hit the pipe, eyeing it with slight hesitation. Would Shingantsu make this hell for him? He needed something to distract him when he inhaled the smoke, something to keep his mind off of the discomfort he knew would be brief. Putting his lips to the pipe, he decided to focus on the most beautiful thing that he had most recently seen before having had his eyes sewn shut.

Matoi's eyes.

He lit the bowl, thinking of brilliant blue the whole time. Inhaling masterfully, he thought of the way those pretty eyes narrowed at him during both their fights, how they lit up with glee the first time around, when she defeated him and left him naked before her. He thought of the way they burned with fury during the second fight, when he crushed her.

And he felt no pain.

When it came time to exhale, he blew the smoke out in perfect, O-shaped rings.

"Hey, that looks so cool! How'd you do that? It looks cute," Nonon gushed, amazed by Uzu's trick.

"Oh, what, making O's? It's pretty easy, here, I'll show you if you take another hit…" he replied.

They rotated twice more, each of them finally achieving a beautiful state of intoxication. For Nonon and Houka, it was a completely alien experience. Neither of them had experienced the glories of THC before. Uzu, on the other hand, was beside himself with joy. The bud had dulled his senses, giving him a gorgeous, hazy perspective. The sharp contrasts of his world, as constructed by Shingantsu, were softened. He could finally relax.

Nonon had put on some music on her phone, allowing her favorite composer's work to drift through the air around her. This was actually nice.

The three Elites sat around, reveling in the new experience. Nonon was reacting surprisingly well, her usually caustic manner blunted. She was silent, laying back on the sofa and stretching out her legs, her feet winding up in Houka's lap. She was simply staring at everything, her gaze getting stuck on a nearby lamp. She contemplated the lamp, its symbolic meaning to man, and its purpose in Sanageyama's living room. Illumination. Hmm…

Houka's fingers, usually flying across the keyboard of his laptop, were unusually slow. He wanted to record his data, but found he was having a lot of trouble putting his racing thoughts into coherent sentences. Oh. Was it just him, or was the whole room spinning? Damn. He could really go for some chocolate chip cookies. With milk.

Uzu was lost in his thoughts. He decided that he really missed color. The sight of color. Green, of course, his favorite color. He always thought his hair was a very handsome, very pleasant shade of green. He missed white, and the ethereal, pristine look it gave his prized Goku uniform.

But he missed red, too. And of course, blue. And Matoi. He thought that if he got into striking range to attack with his shinai again, he could probably get close enough to smell what sort of perfume she wore. No, he smelled sweat during their last fight. So what did she smell like when she was at rest? Maybe she did wear perfume when she wasn't charging into battle. Nah, Matoi didn't really seem like the type to wear that stuff. He'd notice her natural scent, then. Yes, that seemed a thousand times more attractive.

He regretted that he wouldn't get to see the clear blue of her gorgeous eyes again. Such a pretty shade of blue. He supposed that he shouldn't be thinking of his rival, and Lady Satsuki's enemy, in this way. He smirked, and figured that it didn't matter. Uzu would not deny that she was beautiful. He still itched to fight her again, and he knew he would never defy Satsuki, so his little crush wouldn't hurt anyone.

For now, he would attend to the matters at hand. He was feeling great, and he was sure Inumuta and Jakuzure were too. Uzu then posed the question that high people always find themselves asking.

"So…are you guys hungry?"


	2. From the Ashes

I'm back, y'all. I wanted to continue exploring Elite Four friendship, especially after the Mary Jane-related shenanigans of the first chapter. However, this chapter will be less lighthearted. At this point in the series, the plot starts to thicken, so our favorites have a lot more on their plates than just dealing with little ol' Ryuko. This is unbeta'd. Please review, I'll write more if I get some feedback.

Also, we all know Uzu is Ryuko's biggest fan. I think that should explain his thoughts during her fights with the Elite Four. I also tried to end this chapter in a similar way to the last, so we have some more dialogue from our dear Uzu.

So here we have it, Blaze: Chapter two! Now with some Gamagoori!

**Pairings: **more one-sided Uzu/Ryuko

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Kill la Kill, and I'm getting no money for this.

**Chapter Two: From the Ashes**

Uzu Sanageyama was beyond upset.

He had spent seven days preparing himself for his rematch with Ryuko Matoi. He had trained for countless hours throughout the week to feel ready for this fight, practicing with his Shingantsu until he fully mastered it. Now, he was sure that he had beaten the threat of sensory overload. Any pain he might experience in the fight against Matoi would feel like nothing.

He was dying for the chance to feel her passion in battle again. He watched her as she took down the rest of the Elite Four. He watched as she and her Kamui pushed themselves to their limits to defeat his friends. He shouldn't really say he was watching, because his eyes were sewn shut, duh, but he felt everything.

Uzu saw every emotion, everything play out on the field and on her face. Her ferocity and her energy were amazing. Secretly, he cheered for her, just because he wanted to be the only one that would bring her to her knees…in defeat of course.

Ryuko pushed Kamui Senketsu to evolve during the fights against the other Elites. She made the Kamui grow according to conditions on the field. Senjin, the giant eye she used against Houka, and Shippu were strategic moves she had developed specifically for those battles. She was so strong, and so completely driven to win. He so admired her, there were moments during her battles against his comrades that he felt compelled to rush into the fray and take her up in his arms and kiss her. There were moments during her fight against Nonon that Uzu wasn't sure that she would win. While he liked Nonon as a friend and respected her as a fighter, he didn't want her to beat Ryuko. No. That was a pleasure reserved only for him. He'd sooner jump in and take Nonon down himself before he let that happen.

Okay, so he had a crush. Uzu wasn't denying that. His attraction to Matoi was strong, and it seemed as though his carnal desires were all tied up with his aggressive impulses and his lust for combat. Somehow, though this was just a crush, he knew his attraction to Ryuko Matoi ran a little deeper than that. He wouldn't be plagued with memories of those beautiful blue eyes if this didn't run deeper than lustful rivalry.

So his turn to fight finally came. Uzu felt himself tense up with the rush of adrenaline, his body thirsty for combat. He entered the arena and stood before the beautiful woman he was determined to defeat.

No one expected Nui Harime to intervene.

* * *

On the sidelines, as Nui and Ryuko battled, Uzu was humiliated and disappointed. While he had absolutely no insecurities when it came to his body, this was the second time he had been left naked and powerless in front of Matoi. He had also had such high hopes for this fight. He was going to prove his mastery of Shingantsu, and test out Matoi's new skills. Uzu had watched her grow stronger in her struggles against the Elite Four and every other obstacle that had been thrown her way. He was eager to feel her new strength.

He wanted to taste that strength while they were both at the top of their game. He had prepared tirelessly for her, and he knew that she was ready for him. He wanted to feel Matoi pour all her energy into fighting him. Uzu wanted his senses to be filled only with her. He wanted the scent of her sweat, the power of a blow from her Scissor Blade, the sound of her fury.

And the taste of her lips.

And yet here he was, brought low by Nui with the simple cutting of his Blade Regalia's banshi. Here Ryuko was, brought even lower by her own rage upon realizing that she was facing her father's murderer. Kamui Senketsu swallowed her up, turning her into an unrecognizable monster. Her once gorgeous face had been twisted up into something horrendous. Her beautiful, perfect body had fused with Kamui Senketsu into a truly grotesque form. The scent of her blood was everywhere. Uzu felt sick.

In the end, Lady Satsuki banished Nui Harime from Honnouji Academy, and little Mako Mankanshoku managed to bring Ryuko back to her senses through the brutal force of friendship.

The dust had settled and the final preparations for the Tri-City Schools Raid Trip would be beginning soon. Uzu knew that he should be heading home to get some rest, but he continued sitting and contemplating the awful events that had just taken place.

He wanted to lay down forever. He felt so drained.

* * *

"You know, it's not very good for your sanity if you just keep glaring at nothing like that," Houka called out to him as he started to make his way out of the Academy. Uzu turned, and faced Houka, who was accompanied by Nonon and Gamagoori.

"Inumuta is right, Sanageyama. We have all felt the painful sting of defeat today. There is no need to dwell," Gamagoori said, his voice full of solemnity.

"We're here to tell you to get over yourself and hang out because we got our asses handed to us, too. Let's head back to your place and eat ice cream or something because we all feel just as badly as you do," Nonon cut in. "We all need something to raise our spirits. You need it more than we do though because the three of us got a good fight in, at least, and you just lost because your banshi got cut by that crazy Nui. C'mon. You have nothing to lose."

Uzu smiled ruefully, mentally weighing his options. On one hand, he could continue to sulk in solitude and glare at the walls of his home. It would fulfill his desire to be an immature teen boy. On the other hand, he could probably talk to his friends about how he was feeling and possibly get over it before they went on the raid trip.

"Don't you only get to eat ice cream after a break up or something? Aw, who broke your heart, snake?" he teased. Nonon bristled and shot back at him, starting another round of bickering.

Houka and Gamagoori smiled as they looked on, and the Elite Four walked from the ruined arena in the direction of Uzu's house.

* * *

They were lounging around in the living room again. The scene was almost the exact same scene from just a few days ago, except now Gamagoori was among them.

Uzu was also pretty positive that they wouldn't get to smoke tonight. Gamagoori lived and breathed the law, there would be absolutely no convincing him to even sit idly by and watch. Uzu was a little sad, but it didn't matter. He was happy just to have friends that liked him enough to share their time with him. He turned to address his guests.

"So, what do you guys wanna do?"

"I don't know, what do you wanna do?"

Eventually, Gamagoori suggested that they play chess. Houka, once again, suggested that they watch a movie. Nonon wanted to listen to music and eat. The decision would ultimately rest with Uzu, because it was his house. He didn't want to play chess because he didn't really want to think about anything, much less strategy. He knew Nonon would want to dominate the musical selections and he didn't feel like dealing with that, but he was hungry as fuck and he guessed they could order food. Uzu figured that siding with Houka would be best, and he'd let him choose the movie, too.

"Let's just watch a movie guys, I feel like chillin tonight. We should order some pizza or something too," he declared. Houka smirked as Gamagoori and Nonon pouted, glad that he had triumphed.

"What are we in the mood for? Comedy, action, romance?" Houka questioned, ready to look up any movie the others wanted online. Damn, he hoped Uzu had an HDMI cable or something. Maybe he had Netflix?

"I want to watch The Notebook. Or 27 Dresses. Those are your only two options," Nonon declared haughtily.

Gamagoori disagreed. "I would prefer that we watch Kill Bill. It has something for us all—intense action sequences, comedic scenes, touching moments involving The Bride's child, and morality winning in the end…"

Uzu frowned. Kill Bill was great, but he didn't feel like watching Volumes 1 **and** 2. He didn't want to think about life, he just wanted to be mindlessly entertained.

"A comedy, Houka. Something silly but smart enough to make us really laugh. Something we haven't seen before so I don't get bored," he decided resolutely, disregarding Gamagoori's and Nonon's suggestions. The hulking blond and the petite girl were indignant, but allowed the swordsman his choice. They were here to help him feel better. They had seen how crushed he had been by his defeat at Nui's hands.

Houka nodded dutifully, searching the Internet for a movie that would fit Uzu's criteria. Something silly, yet smart? Sounded like Seth Rogen. He figured that Uzu would enjoy a stoner comedy, given that he really liked smoking weed. Houka personally didn't really enjoy smoking that much—his reaction time had been decreased considerably and he did not enjoy the haze that being high put him in. He was glad that he had tried it, though.

"Seth Rogen has a new movie out, it's called Neighbors. Does that sound interesting, Sanageyama?" he questioned, having already found the movie online. Uzu agreed. Houka asked for an HDMI cable to connect his laptop to the giant flat screen Uzu had in his living room. Damn, this was a huge TV.

"Yeah, I'll just go to my room really quickly and grab the cable," Uzu said as he got up from his armchair. It really was his favorite chair ever. So comfortable.

* * *

Searching his room for the HDMI cable, Uzu found himself thinking again. He wondered what the guys back up in northern Kanto were doing. He wondered what they would think of Matoi. They would love her, he was sure of it. Not only was she gorgeous, but she could beat all their faces in. The guys had to respect that, right?

Matoi. Poor, beautiful Matoi, so easily consumed by her murderous rage. He had no right to pity her though, especially since he had been so badly beaten by a little girl in a pink dress.

He found the cable in one of the drawers of his desk. He didn't actually do any schoolwork so he wondered why he even had a desk. Hmm. Did Matoi like smart guys? If she did, then she'd probably into someone like Houka. Uzu frowned, suddenly filled with righteous anger. No, Matoi had to be into strong men that could hold their own against her in battle. He refused to accept any other possibility.

He hoped that Matoi would forgive his stunning loss against Nui. Courting her, when he did decide to do that, would be very difficult if she thought he was weak.

Wait…

Why was he even thinking about courting her anyway? He was going to be fighting a war soon, he couldn't indulge himself in such fantasies. Even if the blue of her eyes and the scent of her skin still haunted his dreams.

* * *

Uzu returned to the living room, cable in hand. He connected one end to his TV, and handed the other end to Houka. They had ordered food while he was in his room, having finally decided on Thai. Thankfully, the Elite Four had ordered from this particular restaurant once before, and Gamagoori had remembered Uzu's order.

"I should warn you, this movie is going to be very ridiculous and extremely vulgar," Houka addressed the occupants of the cozy living room, fixing his eyes on Gamagoori. He figured that Nonon would be more accepting of vulgarity, given that she had an exceptionally foul mouth when she was angry. "I think we all need a good laugh though, so here we go." He pressed play.

Uzu was already dying of laughter by the end of the first scene in which the baby didn't get to go to her first rave.

* * *

Uzu had not expected to enjoy the movie so much. It was exactly what he had needed, because it was insanely ridiculous and immediately lifted his bad mood. He was happy, a small smile resting on his lips, his handsome face alight with amusement. The Elite Four chatted idly about the movie, Gamagoori predictably having enjoyed it the least. He did chuckle occasionally, though.

The food arrived, and the four teens neglected to move to the dining room table, choosing the comfort of the living room instead. They were enjoying each other's company, and they each needed time to forget about the dangerous lives they led. For tonight, they chose not to talk about their recent defeat, or the upcoming raid trip. For tonight, the Elite Four were indulging themselves in the calm before the storm.

"So, Gamagoori, how annoyed did you get at that underachiever Mankanshoku climbing all over you today?" Nonon questioned between mouthfuls of her pineapple fried rice.

To everyone's surprise, Gamagoori blushed. The pink that adorned his cheeks did not go unnoticed, and Uzu jumped at the opportunity.

"I guess you didn't dislike it at all, Ira. When'd you start crushing on little Mako, huh?" he remarked slyly, enjoying the brief opportunity to tease Ira. Usually, Ira was going off on a tangent about discipline, and rules, and being Lady Satsuki's shield. It was nice to see the huge blond acting like a human, instead of his usual living rulebook thing.

"I am not crushing on Mankanshoku! I just drove her once during the Naturals Election!" Ira shouted, quick to defend himself.

"Wow, you've driven her home? You move pretty quickly, Gamagoori," Nonon snickered from her place on the plush sofa.

Houka mercifully changed the subject, noting Ira's increasing distress, by asking Nonon if there was any contemporary music that she enjoyed. The pink-haired girl visibly brightened, having been made ecstatic by the chance to talk about her passion.

Uzu was devouring his Pad Thai noodles with gusto, grateful that the others knew to ask for his food to be made without spice. He'd had trouble eating spicy foods since acquiring Shingantsu. He smiled as he looked at his friends.

When he first enrolled at Honnouji Academy, he was convinced that his relationship with the other three Elites would be strictly business. Sitting with them now, Uzu was glad that they'd proved him wrong. If they weren't real friends, they wouldn't have insisted on hanging out with him. They picked him up from the ashes of his own melancholic mood. People who were strictly comrades wouldn't have cared enough to do that.

He didn't care if they weren't blazing right now, he loved just hanging out with people that truly cared for him.

"Hey, guys, after the Tri-City Schools Raid Trip, you know we're going to have to face Ragyo Kiryuin and whatever it is she's got planned. Matoi may or may not be ready or willing to help us, so we're all Lady Satsuki's really got to count on. I'm glad to call you my allies. But most importantly, I'm really glad to call you three my friends," Uzu said softly. "Ira, if we make it out of this alive, I'll gladly help you court Mankanshoku," he promised.

The three looked over at him in surprise, but they felt the sincerity in the green-haired man's words.

"Of course we're making it out of this alive, you dumb monkey. And Ira, I second that promise. Monkey, if we all help Ira get the underachiever, then we'll all help you get your girl, too. Matoi seems like she's a hard woman to please," Nonon smirked at Uzu as his jaw dropped. Houka started chuckling as Ira howled with laughter.

"How do you know about that, you snake? Answer me!"


End file.
